Atty. Kelly E. Theard
Kelly Theard is a construction lawyer representing general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, program managers and material suppliers in a variety of construction related litigation including construction defect, design and professional liability, and third-party injury claims. She also assists her clients in contract negotiations and pre-claim disputes.
Profile Summary
About Kelly E. Theard at a glance
Kelly E. Theard is a personal injury, construction, and product liability attorney based in New Orleans, Louisiana, practicing at Deutsch Kerrigan LLP. Admitted to practice in Louisiana, Louisiana. Educated at Louisiana State University (J.D., 2004) and Louisiana State University (—, 2004). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Construction Law (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Construction (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants (2026). Serands clients in New Orleans, LA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Kelly Theard is a construction lawyer representing general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, program managers and material suppliers in a variety of construction related litigation including construction defect, design and professional liability, and third-party injury claims
- She also assists her clients in contract negotiations and pre-claim disputes
- Ms. Theard currently serves as the firm's Managing Partner as well as Head of the Construction Practice Group
- While Ms. Theard's practice is primarily focused on construction and professional liability matters, she also handles general liability matters for local restaurants and department stores
- Her general liability clients have included well-known regional restaurant chains with Louisiana locations, the nation's largest broad-line closeout retailer and one of the largest food retailers in America
- She has additional litigation experience in the areas of redhibition, products liability and commercial litigation
- Ms. Theard is a recognized practitioner in Construction Law by Chambers USA where a client communicated that Kelly “is smart, knows the ins, outs and details of construction and is an extremely hard worker.” She is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America® List (2015-2023) where she was named a “Lawyer of the Year” in 2018 and 2022 and received the New Orleans CityBusiness "Women of the Year" award in 2015, 2019 and 2020. “I tell it like it is, whether good or bad, and I think my clients like it that way.”
Practice Areas Explained
Kelly E. Theard's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Kelly E. Theard handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Kelly E. Theard is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in Louisiana →
Kelly E. Theard is one of 40,689 construction attorneys indexed nationally. Browse construction attorneys in Louisiana →
Kelly E. Theard is one of 66,193 product liability attorneys indexed nationally. Browse product liability attorneys in Louisiana →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Louisiana
Practicing law in Louisiana. Legal matters in Louisiana are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in New Orleans are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Louisiana state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Louisiana brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Louisiana courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Louisiana attorneys? Browse all attorneys in New Orleans or all attorneys in Louisiana.
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